2nd county restaurant to burn in six months
Robbinsville – Fire gutted The Hub restaurant on Rodney Orr Bypass early Sunday morning, leaving owners scrambling over what to do next.
It was the second fire to destroy a Graham County restaurant since August 2021, when the Stecoah Diner burned to the ground. It has not reopened.
The Hub responded to the Stecoah Diner fire by holding a fundraiser later that month.
Graham County firefighters responded to a 911 call shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday.
Four engines and about 15 firefighters from Robbinsville, Snowbird and Santeetlah responded to the blaze, and were on scene for about two hours, said Graham County Fire Chief Keith Eller.
There were no injuries, but firefighters endured two hours of cold rain as they brought the blaze under control.
Eller said the fire started in electrical equipment between the ceiling and roof. The roof had been added to, which made it difficult to access the fire, he said.
The building’s ceiling and facade collapsed during the firefighting effort.
The restaurant is located at 664 Rodney Orr Bypass, on the banks of the Cheoah River near the traffic signal at the intersection of North Main Street.
It was co-owned by Rob and Courtney Cassesse and Nate Burrell, who took over the restaurant in November 2020 and opened it under their management in January 2021.
The Hub specialized in grill-type food, although Rob Cassesse studied French Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale, Ariz.
“At the moment we do not have any info or plans and are still trying to pick up the pieces,” Rob Cassesse told The Graham Star on Monday.
“You think it will never happen to you…blood, sweat and tears is nothing,” Burrell said on his Facebook page. “We have put our hearts and souls into this restaurant. Thank you to the incredible support of the community. We couldn’t have had such a great run without you.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Angie Buchanan, Courtney Cassesse’s mother.
“This small business is a total loss and the owners’ only source of income,” she wrote. “They are devastated by this fire. They’ve worked so hard through the last year and celebrated their one-year anniversary of being open just a month ago. They’ve put their heart and soul into being a part of their small town and were gearing up for the tourist season that is fast approaching.
“They’ve remained open despite the economic hardships of the past year and were excited about the future,” she wrote. “If you’ve been to The Hub, you saw the complete renovations and the hard work they’ve put in.”
Buchanan thanked the Graham County Fire Department “for doing all you could.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, 36 people had donated $1,950 toward a goal of $5,000.
The response from social media was immediate. Said customer Ang Bax, “Absolutely devastated to see this today. The Hub has been such a wonderful spot for the community and tourists with the most incredible food and service.
“Prayers for all as you navigate this loss.”
Though the Cassesses and Burrell owned the restaurant, the property itself is co-owned by Laura Properties, LLC and Phillips James Leonard Trust. The registered agent for Laura Properties, LLC is Randy Jordan, with a mailing address for Graham County Land Company on Tallulah Road.
The annual report for Laura Properties, LLC lists Jordan as managing member.